David M. Brown's Blog, page 100
July 4, 2012
Book News: Work It Baby, Work It! The DIY Guide is here…
We’re delighted to share the news that Coral Russell’s fantastic DIY Guide has just been relaunched – and it’s bigger and better than ever! Here Coral tells us all about it, including the fact that it’s currently free on Amazon!
Work It Baby, Work It! – Coral RussellIt’s July again. That means a new edition of the The DIY Guide to eBook Publishing and Social Media Marketing has arrived!
For those of you that don’t know, my husband is a salesman and I was able to go to an event with him. I helped him pimp out the event through Twitter and Facebook and realized right then and there that kind of immediate interaction is what it is all about. I’ve made direct changes to everything I do social media wise because of that experience.
My husband is a great salesman. He knows no strangers and he tells me that he doesn’t try to sell anything. He just has conversations with people and listens. Through listening he finds out what that person wants and needs and tries to fulfill it. He is able to judge if he can by knowing his product. His best months are when he has a lot of referrals. In other words, former customers have liked the experience with him so much that they send other people to him. During the event, he may not have made any direct sales but he handed out twenty or so business cards and had some great exposure.
And that folks, is sales in a nutshell no matter what you are trying to sell.
What’s new in this edition? There are added resources for blog tours and a small section on Pinterest. I am really pleased and thankful for the authors, bloggers and editors who stepped forward to share their knowledge with the new ‘advice’ columns.
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Part ONE
Writing Resources
Critiquing/Editing/Proofreading
7 Most Common Grammar, Punctuation, and Usage Errors
A Good Book Cover
A Catchy Book Description
Advice from Authors
Part TWO
Blogging
Advice from Bloggers
Social Media Platforms – Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, etc.
Book groups – Goodreads, shelfari, LibraryThing
Part THREE
Formatting your eBook
Uploading your eBook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords
Part FOUR
Book Marketing/Promotion/Reviews
Part FIVE
Final Links and thoughts
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If you have already purchased the book through Amazon, you should receive an email that the new edition is available. Otherwise, the book is $.99 and will be free July 4th – 8th to celebrate.
Book News: Work It Baby, Work It! The DIY Guide is here… | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book Review: Conquest – Vik Rubenfeld
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Reid Taylor, bass player for the rock band CONQUEST, tells first-hand about the thrill of starting out with a little-known Seattle band, and growing to global fame. He describes how he found the love of his life, Kristy. And most of all, he reveals how he saw hints of what would bring about the band’s tragic end – everything he did to try to help – and the one person whose life he was able to save.
Author Vik Rubenfeld created the beloved TV series EARLY EDITION, starring Kyle Chandler as a man who receives tomorrow’s newspaper today.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Review: Conquest
I’ve thought in the past about how cool it would be to be in a rock band. Imagine being young in a group like The Beatles where you don’t just wake up to fame and adoration but your every song is writing another chapter in the glorious history of music. Vik Rubenfeld’s Conquest tells the story of four young guys who form a band and find themselves hitting the big time, but with so many pressures for rock groups can they stay together and remain successful?
The novel is told from the perspective of the bass player Reid Taylor. By luck he auditions for a band led by Barry who is the lead guitarist and leader of the group. The drummer is Clay who Reid dislikes and fears will lead the group to ruin. Finally, there is Link the enigmatic singer who ties the music of his three band mates together with his vocals. The quartet form Conquest and though they begin small they soon begin to rise to prominence, recording an album, enjoying no.1 singles, and taking part in the luxuries of the rock star lifestyle with the temptations of drugs, alcohol and sex never far away. However, will Reid’s fears about Clay prove right?
Reid begins the novel having come out of a relationship and decides to audition for a band. He’s a great bass player and is soon recruited to join Conquest. He has a good relationship with Barry but the drummer Clay is a problem. In a long-term relationship with Leah, Clay has no issues about ignoring his girlfriend or being unfaithful to her. In many respects there is a divide between the group. Early in the novel Reid meets Kristy who he falls in love with and tries hard to remain faithful to when he’s on tour. Barry meets a girl he brings on stage called Risa and the two of them remain inseparable. While Clay has left Leah at home, he sleeps with groupies and fans, as does Link who has no desire for a serious relationship.
Though there are conflicting personalities the quartet are capable of overcoming their differences and producing great music. Over time they pen classic songs which leave audiences mesmerised and with their fame comes money, rich homes and lots of partying. While Barry has Risa with him, Reid has to endure months away from Kristy and he is torn about the life he leads. On the one hand fame and fortune are great, but not being with Kristy hits him hard and the regular flirtations of groupies do not help his loneliness. With one album completed Conquest soon move onto their second work along with touring but the wheels are coming loose and tragedy is not far away.
Conquest is a very quick read, more a summary of the band’s rise and fall really. I did enjoy many elements of this but for me the ending was far too abrupt. It was a very tragic conclusion and there is an air of inevitability when rock stars live fast as some of the members of Conquest do. Somehow the end didn’t fully work for me. While the tragedy was acknowledged Reid was able to find many consolations which seemed somewhat selfish and cold. The novel could have been longer and dealt with a more gradual breaking apart of the group before its hard hitting ending.
Conquest is an okay account of a rock group’s rise from humble origins to global superstars with the many vices and temptations being on tour can bring. The novel suffers with being too short and ending too suddenly in my opinion but rock music fans may well disagree. The ending is apt in the respect that anything good can very quick end.
Verdict: 3/5
(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
Book Review: Conquest – Vik Rubenfeld | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
July 3, 2012
Photo a Day July – Day Three: Best Part of Your Day #photoadayjuly
The “Photo A Day July” challenge is an opportunity take snapshots of 31 seemingly straightforward aspects of your life in a fun/interesting/unique way. You can see my other posts here.
I have set up a Pinterest board and you can also follow me on Instagram. If you’re doing the challenge, please leave your Pinterest board or Instagram feed (or wherever you’ll be posting your pictures!) in the linky below.
Day Three: Best Part of Your Day
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There is a sight that usually greets me when I head for bed: the sight of Mr Kain (the cat) and my sheep pillow. I admit it – it’s designed to be a fun travel pillow for children and I bought it on the internet thinking it might be good for my nephew. When it arrived and I felt it, I couldn’t be parted from it. Sure enough, at times when I’m struggling to sleep, I rest my head on it and then listen to an audiobook until sleep comes. I think many people who know me would be surprised that my favourite time of the day is often bedtime. I am a rush, rush, rush person. Perhaps that’s what makes that quiet half hour before sleep even more wonderful.
Photo a Day July – Day Three: Best Part of Your Day #photoadayjuly | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Photo a Day July – Day Three: Busy – Best Part of Your Day #photoadayjuly
The “Photo A Day July” challenge is an opportunity take snapshots of 31 seemingly straightforward aspects of your life in a fun/interesting/unique way. You can see my other posts here.
I have set up a Pinterest board and you can also follow me on Instagram. If you’re doing the challenge, please leave your Pinterest board or Instagram feed (or wherever you’ll be posting your pictures!) in the linky below.
Day Three: Best Part of Your Day
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There is a sight that usually greets me when I head for bed: the sight of Mr Kain (the cat) and my sheep pillow. I admit it – it’s designed to be a fun travel pillow for children and I bought it on the internet thinking it might be good for my nephew. When it arrived and I felt it, I couldn’t be parted from it. Sure enough, at times when I’m struggling to sleep, I rest my head on it and then listen to an audiobook until sleep comes. I think many people who know me would be surprised that my favourite time of the day is often bedtime. I am a rush, rush, rush person. Perhaps that’s what makes that quiet half hour before sleep even more wonderful.
Photo a Day July – Day Three: Busy – Best Part of Your Day #photoadayjuly | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
July 2, 2012
Photo a Day July – Day Two: Busy – being psychedelic #photoadayjuly
The “Photo A Day July” challenge is an opportunity take snapshots of 31 seemingly straightforward aspects of your life in a fun/interesting/unique way. You can see my other posts here.
I have set up a Pinterest board and you can also follow me on Instagram. If you’re doing the challenge, please leave your Pinterest board or Instagram feed (or wherever you’ll be posting your pictures!) in the linky below.
Day Two: Busy – being psychedlic
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Dave knows I am obsessed by all things bright, so when I saw this laptop protector and this ‘Animal’ trousers, they had to be mine (to be his!). So now, he can be as psychedelic as me… inside the house at least!
Photo a Day July – Day Two: Busy – being psychedelic #photoadayjuly | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
July 1, 2012
Photo a Day July – Introduction and Day One: Self-Portrait #photoadayjuly
Imagine! 11 p.m. at night, idling on Facebook and lo! What is this I see? A “Photo A Day July” challenge!
I love Instagram and I love Pinterest and I love photographs. Can there possibly be a downside? Well, kind of. There is a list, so you need to get a little inventive with your photos and you also need to be disciplined to stick to every day. Beyond that? It’s all good!
I have set up a Pinterest board and you can also follow me on Instagram. If you’re doing the challenge, please leave your Pinterest board or Instagram feed (or wherever you’ll be posting your pictures!) in the linky below.
Day One: Self-portrait – tattoo
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My cats are extremely important to me so when I got my final tattoo last year, it seemed only fitting to get something to mark all the joy they have brought to my life. From lovely cat Cookie and grumpy girl Judy (both sadly passed) and now to Charlie, Buggles, Razz, Kain, Frodo and Bilbo, they have given me immeasurable love and brought me immeasurable joy. I feel that they – like many others I have encountered in my life – helped shaped me and I will never forget that.
Photo a Day July – Introduction and Day One: Self-Portrait #photoadayjuly | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book Review: Cedardale Court – Nathan Lee Christensen
[image error]Cedardale Court is full of daring fools, haunting old flames, and brimming with panicked villainy; which only makes the final week of Canner Connelly’s ten year attempt to avoid death feel that much more ridiculous. After a well-intentioned move to the Oregon countryside, the safety and peace of mind he’s longed for, for him and his daughter, Chloe, finally appears within reach. But, upon waking the next morning, their promising start at Uncle Henry’s falls rather short as the sun comes up and the ever inept residents around them start their days. One domestic dispute, a little reckless driving, and a broken fire hydrant later, what normally might have been an enjoyable Sunday morning quickly turns into a slightly darker affair as a human hand -well, half of one, really- turns up in the bushes. Things only get messier and more frightfully uncertain as the ghosts from the past begin to resurface and, one by one, the secrets that have been so carefully kept, for so very long, unravel for everyone.
In the face of the monstrously absurd, this little neighborhood might be the key that opens the door to Canner and Chloe’s new life, or it might be exactly as it appears; the gateway to the undoing of them all.
*A neo-gothic fabulation, bordered on the lines of hysterical realism, wrapped up in a quirky little murder mystery*
Amazon USAmazon UKGoodreadsReview: Cedardale Court
They say you can’t pick your neighbours and whenever you move to a new area you always hope it will be a quiet neighbourhood where everyone minds their own business. If you want peace, serenity and no action then it’s probably wise not to move to Cedardale Court.
Canner Connelly and his daughter Chloe move to Cedardale Court where they are taken in by Uncle Henry. The Connelly’s arrival is not greeted with silence especially when two neighbours are having a row and one drives into a fire hydrant, flooding the area. Police end up coming to the scene when a severed hand is found amongst the sewage in Uncle Henry’s garden. A local teacher is missing, presumed dead, but the police have few leads to go on. Having wanted a quiet life, Canner and Chloe find themselves at the heart of a dark murder mystery where the residents on Cedardale Court are not all that they seem.
The novel opens with the amusing but devastating destruction of the fire hydrant by one neighbour driving away from his wife after a bitter argument. The police become involved when a hand is discovered in Uncle Henry’s garden and it soon becomes clear that this may be the remains of the missing school teacher. It’s not all murder and darkness though. There is romance in Cedardale Court with Henry nursing a long-term love for his neighbour, Jane, who in turn loves him back but they have managed to endure years living next door to each other without taking things further. In a fascinating sequence of chapters we learn of Henry’s involvement with Jane and her abusive husband many years before.
As the story progresses the police locate a prime suspect for the murder of the missing school teacher but with a decent alibi the trail quickly runs cold. With the missing teacher supposed to be in charge of Chloe’s class, Canner’s daughter inadvertently comes into possession of some very incriminating evidence that someone is keen to reclaim for themselves. Ever fearful of death, Canner finds his daughter in danger and with the police struggling to solve the mystery how will things turn out?
Cedardale Court is a great murder mystery with some elements of dark humour thrown in. The relationship between Henry and Jane is particularly poignant and the revelations about the murdered school teacher and the enemies she has made only add to the mystery and speculation of who the murderer is. A surprising twist is waiting at the end of the novel. Given the dark humour I’m not sure readers will take the book too seriously but they will have great fun with it.
Cedardale Court is an intriguing and fun murder mystery where appearances are very deceptive and the hearts of individuals are very hard to read. A great bunch of characters and an exciting storyline will make you want to keep turning the pages. You can try and solve the mystery yourself and some people may come up with the answer before the end but I wasn’t one of them!
Verdict: 4/5
(Book source: reviewer received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
Book Review: Cedardale Court – Nathan Lee Christensen | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book Excerpt: The Cruise – All That Glitters – Jaye Frances
Today Jaye Frances, author of The Kure and The Possibilities of Amy returns to the blog to share an excerpt from her new title, The Cruise – All That Glitters.
Introduction: Jaye FrancesThank you, Donna, for having me back on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave with my new romantic comedy, The Cruise – All That Glitters. I really appreciate the opportunity to give your readers a sneak peek at the story, and talk a little bit about the main character, Dean.
A cruise vacation. For many passengers, the ship itself is often the ultimate destination—lazy days at sea, a cushy lounge chair, a glass of vintage wine, and a glowing sun dipping below the horizon. But for Dean, a thirty-something bachelor taking his first cruise, that’s just the beginning. While he’s definitely looking forward to warm tropical breezes and exotic islands with sandy beaches, he’s also anticipating a boatload of gorgeous, sexy women—the essential ingredient to provide him with the trip of a lifetime. And why not? He’s got a full head of hair, a body by Bowflex, and a smoldering intensity driven by intelligence and wit. And least that what he readily admits to the girls who occupy his daydreams.
In the following excerpt, Dean is scouring the ship in search of beautiful women—just like the ones he saw in the color brochure in the travel agent’s office. But he becomes quickly disillusioned as he finds himself surrounded by a frenetic crowd reeking of desperation and aqua velva.
Excerpt: The Cruise – All That GlittersI would start my search at the pool. There should be lots of hard-bodies around the pool.
Open to the sky, the Lido deck contained two identically-sized swimming pools and an equal number of hot tubs. At one end, a raised platform served as a stage for entertainment, with a large portion of open space reserved for those who wanted to dance.
As I passed through the doors leading to the outside, I was immediately assaulted by an ear-splitting barrage that sounded remarkably similar to a half dozen metal pots being repeatedly slammed against a car bumper. I hesitated, concerned I might have accidentally stumbled into an area of the boat undergoing emergency maintenance. Suddenly, two women grabbed my arms and began pulling me toward the dance floor where a gyrating mass of hand-waving, butt-swaying, older-than-middle-aged tourist-types were moving with a rhythm as brutally awkward as the horrific pounding that had obviously driven them insane.
I shook my head and pointed in the opposite direction. But they refused to release me, and in seconds, I found myself trapped in a never-ending cycle of three steps forward and two steps back.
I’ve never claimed to be any kind of a dancer. And I’m even worse when surrounded by those demonstrating lesser—if that’s possible—hoofing competence.
“Pick up your feet, honey.”
“Loosen up, just go with it!”
“Watch and follow me.”
Their encouragement reminded me of the time I tried to coax a frightened turtle from its shell.
I sensed the imminent threat to my self-esteem. What if a bevy of beautiful women were standing a few feet away, witnessing my feeble attempts to duplicate the freakish behavior of people old enough to be my grandparents? As I tried to calculate worst-case damage to my masculinity, I was struck by the overwhelming smell—a mixture of cheap wine, coconut oil, and sweat.
I held my breath and lunged for the bar. I made it on the second try. The outer perimeter of the group proved to be no less dangerous than the virulent interior. Bounced from both sides by two chalky-white beer bellies and stepped on by a varicose-veined grandmother, I cowered close to the slab of polished mahogany, knowing there was nothing I could do but watch the mirror-reflected images of Jim Beam, Canadian Club, and Absolute vibrate in blurring sync to the finest music ever made by three Jamaican nationals banging the living hell out of a couple of fifty gallon drums.
I jumped back in, risking it all with the next sidestepping opportunity. I’m sure some of them thought I was rejoining the group, confirming their approval with nodding heads and offers to share their mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. But with desperation prevailing over decorum, I moved from one hand to the next, loudly announcing that I had to pee, pointing to my crotch for emphasis. In less than a minute, I was free.
Not wanting to risk another encounter with the geriatric Mod Squad, I quickly climbed the stairs to the observation level, grabbed a piece of rail and held on, needing a moment to get my bearings.
Below me, row after row of reclining loungers circled the perimeter of both pools, forming the elongated double bull’s eye aerial shot I’d seen in the travel booklet. Most of the chairs were already occupied. Even the wading areas were lined with people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, dangling their feet in the water. A girl in her mid-teens was cautiously re-adjusting her towel, determined to prevent a flash of yet-to-develop breasts as she unhooked her top. Directly in front of her, two boys were tossing a Frisbee back and forth, trying unsuccessfully to get her attention.
Children were everywhere, chasing each other, screaming at the wind, and cannonballing into the hot tubs.
God, I thought, it just doesn’t get any better than this.
About The Cruise – All That Glitters (2012)
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It’s love on the high seas for Dean, a thirty-something bachelor taking his first cruise, hoping for a shipboard romance. On the prowl for the elusive hard-body, he quickly becomes disillusioned, wondering if his expectation of a boatload of beautiful sea nymphs is something found only in travel brochures.
Until he meets Angel.
She is the girl of his dreams, brought to life as a bewitching goddess, ready to engage in every sensual delight. Quickly lured into submission by Angel’s seductive charms, Dean is ready to surrender his heart and soul to this provocative beauty.
Until he meets Marcie . .
About Jaye Frances
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Jaye Frances is the author of the paranormal-occult romance novel The Kure, the first book in The Kure series, and The Possibilities of Amy, a coming-of-age story of high school romance. Her upcoming work, scheduled for a Summer 2012 release, is titled The Beach, a sci-fi fantasy about a man who is given the opportunity to receive his ultimate wish and lives to regret it. She is also a featured columnist for the NUSA SUN magazine. Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes.
June 29, 2012
An Argggh-some Launch Party
Shiver me timbers, pieces of eight and a bottle of rum, the argggh-some launch party for A World Apart was such fun. Book bloggers, authors and readers all boarded the ship and joined me on a week of pillaging and shouting “avast ye!” at those unsuspecting landlubbers and seadogs. It’s been great doing all things piratey for a week.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without a lot of help of course. With that in mind, I must extend my appreciation to my wife, Donna, for her contributions and for allowing me to use the Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dave site as part of the launch. Also much appreciation must go to Coral Russell and the rest of my homeys at the Book Bloggers’ Collaborative (now part of The Indie Exchange) for all their support and the exclusive use of that site too.
I thoroughly enjoyed the comments where readers were invited to share their favourite jokes, films and books. Johnny Depp popped up more than once during the week but I think it was simply because he’s played a pirate and nothing to do with his good looks and the ability to melt a million hearts. It was great to see The Goonies get a mention as well. How can you not salute that one as a classic pirate film, truffle shuffle and all.
Many, many thanks to the brilliant book bloggers that contributed a pirate post to the launch. Book bloggers are simply amazing and I thoroughly loved each and every post. Were it not for the limited space I would gladly devote a page to each and every one. On a personal note I will say that Coral Russell’s post which included the song “Pumping Blowing” from The Pirate Movie frightened me the most. It was tough to decide which was the best of the posts what with humour, innuendo and history all thrown in. In the end I think I was most drawn towards an excellent post from The Cabin Goddess, which was a fascinating read throughout and appealed to my love of history. Thank you so much again to all the bloggers that took part. You really made this launch an honour and a privilege to be a part of.
It was such a relief to finally release A World Apart, the second book from the Elencheran Chronicles, and I must say if the launch for any future novels goes as well as this one I will be very happy indeed.
All that is left for me to say is congratulations to two lucky winners of the giveaways that ran during the week. We had more than 4,500 entries for the main giveaway, which is fantastic, but without further ado the buried treasure goes to:-
$100 Amazon Gift Certificate – Liza (proud mom of 6)
$50 Amazon Gift Certificate – Alison DeLuca
Congratulations to Liza and to Alison
I’m not sure when my next book launch will be but I hope to see you all back here very soon. I’m now heading back out to sea, for it is a pirate’s life for me!
June 25, 2012
Biannual Blogathon Bash (#blogathon2): Eleventh Hour Save!
[image error]How amazing was the Biannual Blogathon Bash? It was awesome, it was epic, it was astounding. I got so much done.
Around 1 a.m. UK time yesterday I was resigning myself to finishing up on 22 hours but thinking that would be great. But then I realised that the wrap up post was due by 3 p.m. the following day. I could still hit my 24 hour target! So I pushed and I made it.
My completed goals:
Complete 24 hours: Done!Format 100 blog posts: Done! (well 87…)Tidy 100 images in Media Library: Done!Complete 5 mini challenges: Done!My uncompleted, do-another-day goals:
Pin 50 books from the book: To do all 50Tidy broken links: To doI absolutely loved this event. There’s always so much going on that sometimes you just content yourself with getting your posts out. Actually prioritising some time to tidy up my blog has made me feel a lot better about it. Hopefully, I can be more proactive going forward and do a little tidying up each week.
I tell you something, though: the next Biannual Blogathon Bash? Count me in!
Final talliesMini challenges completed 5 of 5Media library images tidied 100 of 100Formatted posts 87 of 100Pinned book images 0 of 50Completed hours 24 of 24Things I learnedYou can set email alerts in your Google CalendarYou can easily sync a Google Calendar to an iPhonePicMonkey makes fantastic photo collagesThere’s a great plugin for NoFollow links on self-hosted wordpressThere are some brilliant blogger collectives and groups, such as Club Content and She SpeaksTweetGrid is an alternative if you don’t want to use TweetChatThere are great watermarking plugins for WordPress self-hostedThere are amazingly supportive bloggers out there – well I already knew that but I’ve met so wonderful wonderful new people!How did you get on?Overall 24 hour challenge | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
